Sometimes a slice comes
in a flash—
an image or a phrase.
Today
outnumbered (but not wrong)
hangs
suspended
in the air.
A slice-able moment:
Three against one—
an orchestrated resistance.
Strategizing
must have happened
in advance. . .
Notable,
because it means
they talked it over—
and no one saw
the flaw
in the logic.
No one recognized
the gap in understanding
standing out
in the space between us.
It’s a data point,
I remind myself.
Now that I know
where they are,
I can coach into that.
To them
(perhaps)
it feels like winning—
but to me it is revealing.
I’m not judging—I’m noticing.
Reflecting.
Planning.
(And I'm patient.)
I play the long game,
(and I don't need to win).
I may have been
outnumbered
today,
but I am not wrong.
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Running to School 
Way to stay strong. I enjoyed your poem and really liked “but to me it is revealing”
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Love how well you capture the moment where you catch yourself from engaging and notice “data point!” And the idea of the “long game”: brilliant! Reminds me of Simon Sinek’s Infinite mindset. There are no winners or losers, we’re just trying to keep the game going!
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Wow, I especially like the line: “I’m not judging–I’m noticing”. This is something that sometimes gets overlooked, I think. We had a data meeting last week. My noticing and wondering: how do the scores compare to those who have been home the past two years vs. those who have been on campus? Not sure if anyone brought that up. Could be, but not sure
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Wow! Your use of white space to shape your poem is effective in getting your point across… even if you were outnumbered today. We are all in for the long game.
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There is so much to think about here – your craft is incredible – the way you pause and space your ideas…and make the reader do the same. And then the content, the artful conversation and coaching and not judging. I will reread this many times and think about my own work with teachers.
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This was so powerful! I love the phrase “Outnumbered but not wrong”- and your perspective that it’s not about winning. Sounds like a challenging moment you processed well.
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Thanks, Kathleen!
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This situation, Amy. It’s so very hard. I’ve been there, in the seeing the light and wanting, wanting so badly, for others to see it as well. And knowing that there is nothing to be had in the argument, and everything to be had in the listening and not judging, but OH. so very hard.
Just a question for you. I notice that at the top of your poem there was the parenthetical, which outnumbered the first word three to one. Was that your plan or a beautiful happy moment of serendipity?
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Happy serendipity!
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